Archive for August 3rd, 2012

This photo is getting lots of attention on the Internet at the moment — and rightfully so: There’s a demented, surreal charm to the image of an intense little girl outrunning dodgy old Prince Charles to save her bubble-maker.

But, of course, the whole thing’s a fake.

The image of the little girl was busted first. She’s apparently known as “Bubble Girl” (her real identity is a mystery) and, according to the website knowyourmeme.com, her picture has been used to create memes of various kinds since it first appeared Aug. 22, 2009.

Here are some Bubble Girl creations:

Her close-cropped figure (sometimes with bubbles, sometimes without) is usually Photoshopped onto scenes fraught with danger, much like the better-known “Disaster Girl.”

But we actually do know who “Disaster Girl” is: She’s Zoe Roth of Mebane, North Carolina, and her dad Dave took the photo in January 2004 when the local fire department held a training exercise by burning down a derelict house.

Lawson (a wonderful writer on all things trash-cultural, I might add) goes on to say:

“We really wish Prince Charles had once chased a little bumblebee girl around some field while bubbles filled the air, but he didn’t. At least not this girl and not this field. Though, Prince Charles did, at some point, make that face and do that run-dance, so this is still in some ways an important, valid image.”

Well, I decided to track down the original source material of daffy Charlie for Richard. Here’s what I found (and passed on to theatlantic.com):

Charles was photographed July 19, 2012, running under a colourful parachute canopy while attending a youth rally on Guernsey in the Channel Islands during Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.

Here’s the original picture, taken by a royal pool photographer:

And here’s a blow-up:

Note the hankie in Charlie’s breast pocket (and, of course, the fact that he’s running in the opposite direction) — the image has been flopped from the original to the Bubble Girl meme.

UPDATE: According to commenter Olly Cambridge, I’ve used the wrong frame of Prince Charles running: He’s absolutely right. Boy, is my face red — but then it often is (high blood pressure, you know). Thanks for setting me straight, Olly, and I apologize for not getting your comment up for a couple of days. I’ve been out of the country and haven’t been checking my e-mails. Here’s the right frame of Chuggin’ Charlie:

Sadly, in the real photo, Charles looks like a spry but addled elder being chased by his indulgent keeper, the Duchess of Cornwall. A case of life imitating art?

Alan Parker

Veteran journalist Alan Parker will be going behind the red velvet rope and yellow police tape to find out what's really going on from the people who make--- shape--- spin--- report and transform the news.